Friday's letters

Friday

Apr 29, 2011 at 12:01 AM

Legislature? Just static

An interesting item in your Wednesday edition told of how the budget crunch has forced the shutdown of the Allen Telescope giant radio dishes in Northern California aimed at outer space, waiting for any sounds of intelligent life.

Too bad we can't find enough financial backers to keep this program going so we could aim these dishes toward Tallahassee to hear of any intelligent life there.

Jack Benson

Venice

Trump's own universe

With apologies to Einstein for using his theory for such nonsense:

E (ego) = M (massive) C (conceit) 2 (squared)

Please, Donald Trump, get a clue. Time to put a sock in it. (Look that up in your Funk & Wagnalls.)

Eleanor Schmitz

Sarasota

What elections are for

Well, Donald Trump did bug President Obama enough to force Obama to produce his birth certificate. That doesn't mean Trump will automatically be the GOP standard-bearer in 2012. And that doesn't mean the certificate has been doctored!

Just retire the "community organizer" by voting him out next year. Is that asking too much, America?

Roger A. Kinzel

Sarasota

Obama serves the public

Every time the Republicans challenge President Obama, they show their ignorance.

His Hawaiian birth certificate shows he is an American because Hawaii is part of the U.S.A.

Now the Republicans say Obama "leads from behind" and laugh at his supposed weakness.

As a community leader, I received a graduate fellowship to study leadership at a university. At that time, I thought a leader had to be out ahead, speak first and get others to follow. What I learned was that leaders do not walk ahead, but listen and learn, only speaking after everyone else, and expressing the views of the people. Obama is doing this on Libya.

I guess Republicans have never studied leadership.

Anne G. Arsenault

Longboat Key

Real troubles for Obama

The problem is not with Barack Obama's birthplace or his grades at Harvard University.

The problem is: Unemployment is at 8.8 percent; gasoline prices are about $4 per gallon; and his policy and administration have been a gigantic failure.

John Clancy

Sarasota

Let's help Booker Middle

The op-ed column "The limits of school reform" was excellent. In Sarasota, we have schools at the top and the bottom. I suggest that school administration at The Landings be required to assist at the Title One schools, which have been identified as "in need of improvement." To truly understand, Landings personnel should, at all levels, actively work in classrooms at least one hour a week. Choose to work in the core subjects, those demanded for a high school degree.

If we truly want to accomplish "school reform," then let Booker Middle, where children desperately need help, become a school where Landings personnel -- including School Board members and the highest-level, highest-paid school administrative officials -- join other volunteers in trying to change things for struggling children and teachers. As it is now, the highest levels debate, criticize and demean the poorest schools; they denounce the failures of parents, admonish teachers and do nothing to physically repair nor truly understand what needs to be fixed.

I challenge them to roll up their sleeves and join the many, many caring volunteers in helping struggling children comprehend "integers" and "ratios" and literacy and cellular respiration and cytoplasm and learn the countries of Africa -- sixth-grade work!

Dee Webber

Sarasota

The writer has been a volunteer daily for the past 15 years at Sarasota's Title One Schools.

Young, but well focused

Regarding "Will to succeed" by Christopher O'Donnell:

It's so good to read some great news about a successful teen who has faced so many hurdles during his life. I wish Leonardo Leal could be a motivational speaker, talking to teens about what can be done if you put your mind to it. Congratulations hardly seems a fitting word for all he has done. Leonardo, you are truly an inspiration.

Mary Ann McGinty

Placida

Challenged by autism

Imagine. There's a baby coming and you can't wait. This new life will start out so innocent and helpless, and gradually grow and learn and be the child of your dreams -- or your sister's or daughter's dreams, or your friend's or co-worker's dreams.

This baby grows in health and love, but something doesn't seem just right. You tell yourself that it will be OK, that each baby learns at his or her own pace and that soon this baby will meet the developmental milestones. But, honestly, you know something is wrong.

What's wrong could be autism. And as the grandmother of a beautiful autistic girl, I know what it's like to get the news.

This child, Katie, like the many others affected by autism, has struggled to do things that other children do without even thinking. She put two words together last week and we celebrated. She's 7 years old and almost potty trained. We'll really celebrate then!

April is the month to promote autism awareness. There are many children all across the autism spectrum, some better and some worse than Katie. Standing next to autistic children are their parents, working to pay for the services their child needs, and their siblings, trying to make sense of this unusual sister or brother. These families need our support. Tomorrow, it could be you or someone in your family caring for an autistic baby.

Mary Ellen Smolinski

Venice

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